Students Rally for Union Building Renovation

February 7, 2005

OGDEN, Utah –Weber State University students will gather Feb. 9 at 10:50 a.m. at the Stewart Bell Tower Plaza to show their support for renovating the Shepherd Union Building.

The 45-minute rally will include speeches from members of student government as well as music and games. Students decided to hold the rally after the university's request for a $20 million revenue bond to renovate the building failed to make it out of a senate committee in the Utah Legislature last week. Organizers of the event say they want to send a message to state lawmakers that this project is important to WSU students.

Last year, the student body voted in favor of a referendum that proposed raising student fees to fund a renovation of the student union. The project, expected to cost between $14 million and $20 million, has received the support of the WSU Board of Trustees and the Utah State Board of Regents, but still needs approval of the legislature before work can begin.

The students hope the Senate will reconsider the proposal before the end of this year's legislative session.